The inaugural meeting of the Stuttgart Advertising and Promotion Commission is in the books. With all members present the Commission met Monday at Stuttgart City Hall. The 1 percent A&P lodging tax went into effect on March 1. The tax is due to the city on the 20th of each month.

Stuttgart City Clerk Mitri Greenhill said in the first month $1,925.99 was collected.

According to Gita Patel, Stuttgart A&P member, April is considered a medium month as far as tax collections and that duck season would be the peak. The tax is expected to raise $25,000 to $35,000 a year.

During the meeting it was made official that Amanda Holsted would serve as the commission’s chairperson and Jiten Patel would be the secretary.

The commission will be looking to Jacksonville, Benton and Magnolia for help in making forms, a cap limit and other items that will need to be in place before the public can start requesting money. An email will be set up and a form will be available for download through certain city groups once the Commission is approved.

It was decided that all Stuttgart A&P Commission meetings would be held at 4 p.m. on the last Thursday of each month at the Grand Prairie Center conference room.

“I will bring two commissioners for the next meeting — bringing them here and they can educate us on this process,” Shashwat Goyal, Stuttgart A&P member, said.

Greenhill will make the financial report available to all members 10 days prior to the monthly meeting.

“So we have a plan for a plan,” Holsted said. “That is the best thing.”

The A&P Tax was passed during the December Stuttgart City Council meeting. The 1 percent tax will be applied to all Stuttgart motels and hotels.

Members include Jiten Patel (four years), Goyal (three years), Gita Patel (two years) and Mital Patel (one year) from the tourism or hotel industry. City Council members appointed to the Commission are Donald Stephens and Jim Craig, and the at-large position went to Holsted (four years).

The next A&P Commission meeting will be held at 4 p.m. May 31 at the Grand Prairie Center Conference Room.